The invention relates to a ski boot whose sole has at least two smooth bearing surfaces intended to bear on smooth surfaces of a safety binding and extending transversely with respect to the sole.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,567, the content of which is incorporated by reference, discloses a ski boot whose sole has two straight transverse grooves whose smooth bottom is intended to facilitate the lateral sliding of the boot on two bars fixed transversely on the ski, so as to facilitate the lateral release of the binding in the event of falling. The bottom of the grooves hence constitutes a smooth bearing surface set back from the surface by which the the sole bears on the ground, so that these smooth bearing surfaces do not enter into contact with the ground during walking and consequently do not suffer damage. According to an alternative embodiment, the bottom of the grooves is covered by a sheet having a low coefficient of friction.
Further, Patent CH 674 623, the content of which is incorporated by reference, discloses a central binding device for a ski boot, having two rollers mounted on horizontal pins in the front plate of the central binding, the boot being provided with a transverse groove whose bottom constitutes a bearing and rolling surface for the rollers.
The object of the present invention is to provide a boot which has the same advantages as regards lateral or rotational movement, but also provides a good level of comfort, and a walking sole which is more flexible and has better grip without losing its functionality as an interface between the leg and the ski, a further aim being for this boot to be manufactured more rationally.
The ski boot according to the invention is one wherein the bearing surfaces are formed on a rigid intermediate sole carrying at least one fastening member for connecting it to a ski binding and covered by a walking sole leaving the bearing surfaces free, which boot also comprises a flexible upper in the form of a shoe fixed to the rigid intermediate sole.
The flexible upper in the form of a shoe can be completed independently of the rigid intermediate sole and the walking sole. It is then fixed to the intermediate sole, then the walking sole is molded over or adhesively bonded to the intermediate sole, leaving the bearing surfaces free. The walking sole preferably surrounds the bottom of the upper so as to strengthen and seal the boot over a certain height.
The bearing surfaces are advantageously set back from the surface by which the sole bears on the ground, so that they are less likely to come into contact with the ground and, if they do, with less pressure so as not to become damaged, in particular scratched, which would reduce their capacity for sliding.